Flickers Through Life
by LysCat
Summary: The Originals moved to NOLA, and Elena went on to college. This story is set a few years into the future and how I envision Elejah eventually getting together. Rated M for adult situations.


Title: Flickers Through Life  
Author: Alysia  
Category: Post Episode/AU  
Summary: This is set in the future. I started writing this before the reveal of SPoK (spawn of Klaus). So needless to say, the child will not be mentioned. This is how I envisioned Elejah eventually getting together.  
Author's Note: I left a few things open to interpretation for you guys, mentioned some characters. This is an Elejah story, so while there might be mentions of other characters they are only mentions. Also, kudos to any of my readers who will recognize Kesili's Elejah No. 2 sonnet.  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters familiar to TVD or TO.

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A Quiet Reunion

"You really don't know what you do to me?" Elijah asked.

Coyly, Elena shrugged. "I just…" she trailed off, licking her lips as her gaze focused on his crotch. "No, I did, but I didn't think that it was so much me as others."

Curious by her response to his question, he arched one eyebrow. "Others?" He asked, repeating her words. No one else had ever gotten such a reaction out of him. No one!

The female let out a weary sigh then. She knew she shouldn't have said anything! She knew that her mouth would put her into an uncomfortable situation! The brunette cleared her throat, and pushed her hair behind her ears. "It's just…" she trailed off, shaking her head. Inwardly, she wondered if she would be making a mistake by admitting it. However, as she looked at him, she realized that the look on his face conveyed that he expected nothing less than the truth. "I'm just a copy, Elijah," she shook her head and smiled sadly. "You've known the woman I was made to resemble…you've known Katherine. You cared about both of them," she finished weakly. "I just assumed that you would-"

Before she could finish her statement, the vampire placed a silencing finger against her lips.

The amusement over her statement quickly morphed into disbelief and then anger settled over him. Unable to listen to her make excuses, he placed gentle finger against her lips, cutting off her words. "Lovely, Elena," he shook his head. "You are more than just a copy." She always had been, of course it hadn't started out that way for him; however once he'd gotten to know the woman next to him, he'd known that she was something more. She was something special.

His words were spoken in such a fierce manner, that Elena felt her stomach flutter. She opened her mouth to say something, but when he shook his head to relay that he wasn't finished with his words, she closed her mouth; never pulling her gaze from his.

Holding a hand up, he used his knuckles to caress her cheek before he placed her hair behind her ear. It didn't matter that the long, locks of hair were already in place; the desire to touch her was so overwhelming. He didn't think he could fight against it, even if he wanted to. "Yes, I suppose I've known them," he sneered out the sentence. It wasn't meant to offend her, but to ridicule himself for past decisions. He observed the way that her brown eyes traveled away from his intense gaze. He brought his other hand up to her chin, pushing her head up so that she was forced to meet his eyes once again. "I didn't mean it like that," he shook his head.

Elena cocked her head to the side as she looked at her companion searchingly. She was a mess of emotions, ranging from the intense lust she felt for him, to the slight waves of disbelief as he looked at her as though he could eat her. "You owe me no apologies," she argued softly.

How was it that she always managed to find herself in situations with men that had already been with or loved Katherine? First, it was Stefan, who at least grew to care for her as her and not as a likeness to the woman responsible for his change. Then there was Damon, who had challenged her in ways that Stefan didn't. However, in the end, he wanted nothing more than Katherine. He tried, he really had, but there was always an air of disappointment in his eyes when he realized that she was never going to be like Katherine. It was something she attempted ignore, and worked out well enough for them…until Katherine actually came back to Mystic Falls for the final time. Then there was Elijah, who kept himself at a distance from her; both emotionally and physically. Oh he was pleasant and charming when their paths crossed, but he never sought her out or hid from her.

"My manner was offensive, and for that, I am sorry," he replied softly. Elena didn't have to verbally explain her feelings, not to him. He knew that she felt disgust, annoyance and a feeling of being robbed where her previous boyfriends were concerned. They, like him, at already known and loved a woman that shared the same face…the same body.

There was a time that he once swore himself in love with both Petrovas before Elena. He had learned the difficult way that his feelings for Tatia were never true love, and then he'd spent hundreds of years chasing Katarina; chasing the ghost of what she had once been. For one brief moment in time (by his standards) he'd managed to capture the attention and fleeting emotions of Katherine. However, it had been too late for them. The centuries had taken a toll on them; he'd been forever changed, and she'd been jaded by fate's cruel hands. He couldn't deny it, he wouldn't; but he had honestly mourned losing her.

Pulling herself away from her thoughts, Elena looked at her companion. "So, what is this?" She asked then. "If you are curious, I can tell you about it. I have the exact same body as Katherine, so it's not like you haven't seen it before," she denied with an air of disinterest that she wished she could feel. The truth of the matter was, she'd felt a lingering sense of jealousy once learning about his relationship with Katherine. She held no illusions about it, she knew the pair was intimate, there was no way they couldn't have been. She hated that fact. However, she chose not to address that fact. "You know, my first time with Stefan, I swear there were three people in bed; me, him, and his memory of Katherine. I'm not interested in experiencing that again." Even Damon, who had done his best to attempt to hide it; still compared her to Katherine, she'd been able to see it in his eyes.

"Nor would I have you do so again," he vowed passionately. It had always been easy to discern Elena's insecurities, no matter how she attempted to hide them.

Elena shook her head and offered him a tight smile.

The expression on her face was guarded, but he'd always been able to look past it. She was trying to accept his words, wanting to; but she still remained skeptical. "You know not what you do to me…do you?" The Original asked after a pause. "Elena, you're the only one…" He trailed off then, his hands moving to cup her face. "Things were never ideal between us."

She resisted the urge to snort at his chosen words. That was putting it lightly! From the moment they met, they'd been on opposing sides.

He detected the amusement in her chocolate brown eyes and nearly smiled along with her. "You had your loyalties, and I had mine. However, there was always something between us," he denied.

His words served to pull her out of the moment and her body followed. She moved out of his embrace, walking towards the large window in the room. Refusing to meet his gaze, her attention was trained on the happenings outside. "It wasn't enough though, was it?" She asked in a sad voice. His words had been true. She'd had her friends to help and support, and his main focus had always been on his family. They both had made half-hearted attempts to trust one another, but the unspoken promises had always been broken. "Apparently the only thing we shared was the role as being a spokesperson whenever we needed to join forces," she muttered.

He didn't need to see her face to detect the forlorn lilt in her voice. He moved, perhaps before he even realized it, stopping just short of a foot behind her. He wanted to touch her, to yank her around to face him, but he sensed that she wasn't quite finished with her words.

"I never wanted this."

For him there was no question as to what she meant; transitioning into a vampire. Even upon their first tentative conversations, he'd known it. It was part of the reason why he'd done what he could to keep her human. Without any request for help, he'd offered her the elixir that he'd previously had made for Katherine. He'd offered to keep Klaus daggered and to go on the run from Alaric for the duration of her human existence.

"I thought that when a person changed, certain aspects of their humanity were amplified." She shook her head. "I went through an entire reboot." She certainly wasn't proud of her actions since her transition, she still wasn't. "I did things, Elijah. The way I treated my friends…and I...I'm the cause for an entire line of vampires being wiped off the Earth. Your brother…"

"Elena, it's been years," he reminded her in a sad voice.

It had taken quite a while to make amends with her friends. And even after she'd been forgiven, there was still a lasting effect on her relationships with Bonnie and Caroline. She never forgot about the lives that she'd carelessly taken, or the possibly thousands of vampires who died because of her. "It doesn't excuse it."

"No," he agreed then. Gently, he grasped her arm and spun her around to face him. Elijah waited until her eyes met his before he spoke again. "However, the fact that you understand that says something about the person you are. I have lived for a thousand years, and I am still attempting to makes amends for the atrocities I have either had a hand in or was responsible for." He offered her a sad smile. "Life is not an easy lesson, Elena."

"You didn't come for me," she whispered then, staring at his shoulder, rather than meeting his gaze. The words sounded pathetic even to her ears, but she didn't intend to come off as such. However, it had been something that always been on her mind; either at the forefront or a lingering thought, it was there.

She wanted to know why. It wasn't as though she and Elijah had been close, not by any means. However, he had a point in his earlier observation; there had always been something between them. She held no illusions. She knew that when Esther tied her life with Alaric, that the simplest solution was to kill her; yet he hadn't. He bartered with her and promised her that she'd live out the duration of her human life without interruption from him or his siblings.

She even understood him not finding out right away. After her transition, things had spiraled out of control in Mystic Falls. That tied with the fact that Rebekah had gone against his words and essentially caused her death… However, he'd admitted that he'd remained with Katherine even after discovering the truth of her change. She wanted to know why he stayed away, after attempting to let her live her life uninterrupted as a human. While she'd been trying to deal (and failing) with life's harshest lessons thus far, he had been living happily with Katherine.

Katherine had always been a sore spot for her, and perhaps her current thoughts were lingering emotions from that, but she couldn't ignore them. If things had worked out differently, they wouldn't be in that position. If things had worked out differently, he might still have been with Katherine. The realization was a slap in the face, and she wondered if she were nothing more than a consolation prize for him.

The emotions that flittered across her face hid nothing from him. Elijah felt his heart drop in his stomach and for one brief moment, he was speechless. He had known it would be something that needed to be addressed. From the moment he confessed his discovery of her turning, that she'd been bothered by the circumstances. However, they had never had a chance to sit down and speak with one another in a private setting. There'd been Silas to deal with, Stefan and Damon's desires to flip her humanity switch back on…following Klaus to New Orleans. It had been put away for another day; gone, but not forgotten.

"I…I could not face you, Elena," he replied in equally soft voice. "Not after I had failed you. I should have made sure that my siblings left before I did." He shook his head then. "As for Katherine, I had finally found the thing I had been searching for those past five hundred years." He'd never been an overly selfish person, but he had behaved so in that situation. "I didn't want to let that go. And even if I had been willing to, I had no idea how you would react to my presence. You already had your friends, I thought that was enough."

She considered his words. She understood his thoughts where she was concerned, but it still left Katherine. "And Katherine?" She didn't intend to sound like a broken record, but she couldn't be in a similar position as she had been before. She didn't want to play second fiddle again, she deserved more. "I get that you loved her," she confessed, nearly growling at the thought. "I don't understand it, but I respect it," she added quickly. "But you spent five hundred years pining after her, Elijah. If things had been different, you'd still be with her."

He shook his head then. "No, I don't think so," he argued. He thought on his last conversation with Katherine and the bittersweet goodbye they'd shared. She'd gone to him, telling him that it was their time to be together. He'd wanted to go with her so badly, but he needed to be with his siblings; he needed to make up for his previous absence from their lives. As soon as he denied her, she'd gone off; practically blaming Elena for his decision. "You were right upon your assumption that the peasant girl I loved was gone. I had known she was different but we were so far removed from one another. I just had not realized it until the moment that I said goodbye to her." She hadn't understood his reasons for denying her, and he'd been a little surprised when she laid the blame on someone else. Looking back, he'd found the irony in the situation. He'd known easily that Elena (the young woman he'd kept a distance from) would have understood his reasoning. "I suppose she will always hold a piece of my heart. In retrospect, she was my first love."

Elena felt her body tense up. She had already known about his feelings, she didn't need a play by play! How was it that she always managed to find herself in such positions?! Inwardly, she began mapping out her easiest exit.

"Yet she is not who I desire now," Elijah spoke in a determined voice. His hand moved to her chin and he forced Elena to look at him. "These past years have been trying…for both of us." They'd both had their own demons to deal with and foes to oppose. "Though, when we needed help you were there, or able to convince someone else to come." He watched Elena slightly shrug her shoulders. "You befriended my sister when no one else did."

Elena shook her head. "I used your sister," she clarified, not wanting him to sing praises when they weren't deserved. "We…were of mutual use to one another." As for the first part of his words, she knew that the favor had been returned. Either he or his siblings would return to Mystic Falls and help them if they needed it.

Elijah removed his finger from her chin when he was sure that she wouldn't break his gaze. "I suppose so," he allowed. "I also know that once your humanity was back in place, you didn't turn your back on her. It was something she has not forgotten." It was something that he had never forgotten. "I always felt that of all of the people I had come to have an acquaintance with, that you were the one person who so closely reflected the person I once was."

"And you…desire me?" She felt a tremor in her heart, something she hadn't felt in a very long time.

Her journey into losing her humanity not only left lasting changes with Bonnie and Caroline, but with the Salvatore brothers as well. It had taken her months to get over the lengths in which they went to save her humanity. Looking back, she appreciated it; however she had never been able to look at them the same way. Any and all romantic ties with either of them had been severed and she refused to let herself fall back into her old habits.

He offered her a breathtaking smile then. "I won't be declaring my undying love today," he said in a joking tone to lighten the blow of the truth of his words. Timing had never been on their side. She had her Salvatore brothers to deal with along with her transition, and he'd had his lovers and his siblings. "Yet I do know that my feelings are returned."

"I never…" She trailed off. If anything, she'd been arguing against his points during their conversations. She hadn't even admitted anything where he was concerned.

"I am aware of that," Elijah replied in an even tone. "Yet I know that they're there. If they weren't, you would not have argued so." He watched her process his words, not bothering to deny them. "Stay with me?" He asked then.

His offer surprised her and she felt her eyes widen in response. Since her relationship (if it could be termed that) with Damon, she hadn't allowed herself to be in a vulnerable position where a romantic interest was concerned. "Stay here? Stay with you here…in your house?"

He would not have been opposed to it. There were plenty of rooms to choose from. Ironically, he wondered how their conversation had gone from planning casual sex to a soul bearing conversation, but he would not complain. He would have told her that she was more than welcome to stay in the house with him, but he didn't think it would go over well with her. "Stay here in town," he clarified then. "You have no previous engagements, you said so yourself," Elijah tacked on. "I would very much enjoy getting to know the woman you have become." It wasn't until his words passed his lips that he recognized the double meaning in them. However, when he noticed that she was not completely against it, he felt a small victory. "Please, Elena."

"We don't even know if we would get on well with each other," she denied in a weak voice. She wouldn't deny the attraction she felt for him, and she never had forgotten their kiss under the gazebo; but that meant little in the scheme of things, right? People always lived their lives having missed out on one opportunity or another.

"Which is why I would like you to stay," he replied easily.

Elena felt one side of her mouth quirk upwards at his words. "Something tells me I could spend years with you and still not learn everything about you."

"Perhaps," he agreed, "but it would be a start."

The First Kiss…Again

The past few weeks had gone by swimmingly for the pair. Elijah divided his time between dealing with any situations that arose and spending an equal amount of time with Elena.

As for Elena, she delighted in the time she spent away from her friends. Things with Caroline, Bonnie, Damon and Stefan had been stilted…for a long while. While she tried to make amends, it never seemed like enough. It also didn't help that none of them realized that their transgressions against her still bothered her, humanity or not. Elena tried to be the 'bigger person' but she was unable to ignore their actions against her. She tried to look past it, and she had; for the most part. Caroline had been angry upon learning her decision to stay in New Orleans for an indeterminable amount of time and tried to have the rest of Elena's friends council her against the decision.

Ignoring their pleas, the young vampire stayed where she was. She'd had a chance to spend time with Rebekah. She had to admit, it had been nice to spend time with the female Mikaelson without annoyance on either end. When the blonde wasn't busy making her the soul target of her attacks, the two got on swimmingly. It was enough to make her regret not getting to know Rebekah much sooner in their acquaintance. As it was, she was glad to know that the blonde reserved her same biting wit for the women in New Orleans as well. Rebekah admitted that a grudging respect had been born between herself and Hayley, but that she absolutely detested Elijah's witch, Sophie.

Elena had never thought much on Hayley, when the young woman was back in Mystic Falls, so she kept her judgments to herself. As for Sophie, she had to agree that she shared the same feelings as Rebekah; though for a different reason entirely.

As for Sophie, the small brunette couldn't help but feel slightly inferior where the witch was concerned. Sophie was older, closer to Elijah's age…at least in appearance. The two were obviously close, having developed a thriving trust between them. For Elena it was reminiscent of her beginnings with Elijah, before she and her friends had attempted to dagger him. She felt regret in the fact that Sophie managed to capture Elijah's trust while Elena had seemingly struggled to earn it.

It also didn't help her feelings of resentment for the witch to know that she had been Elijah's lover. Once she had made the decision to stay in town with Elijah, the Original held nothing back. He spoke of the people he dealt with on an everyday basis and the roles that they played not only in his life, but that of his siblings. His tale also revealed the fact that Sophie had been his lover for several months. At the time, Elena stayed quiet; unsure of her feelings about the revelation. Though she stayed quiet on the subject, it was never far from her thoughts.

Aside from that one tiny thing, she had to admit that she'd enjoyed getting to know Elijah. Though she felt she'd always known bits and pieces about him, it she couldn't get enough of his stories. She never tired of them, hearing about his life and his adventures. He made everyone else seem so second rate. Elena did her fair share of talking, sharing with him her life away at college and all that it entailed. Sadly, her college experience was nothing like what she once thought it would be.

"And how did you enjoy college life?" Elijah asked after the two settled into a comfortable silence.

He'd listened to her stories with rapt attention. If there was one thing about Elena that he knew for certain, it was that she was an old soul. Sometimes even he forgot how young she really had been upon their first meeting. He was relieved to know that while things hadn't happened the way she once planned they would, that she was still able to experience college and all that it entailed.

"It was college," she replied with a small sigh. "While I was able to juggle my classes so I didn't have to attend every day; in the end, it was still school."

"And what are your plans now?"

Elena shrugged. "I had not thought on it." Or rather, she had, but no plans were set in stone. One good thing about college was that she rediscovered her love for writing. She chose a major centered near that and hoped that one day (soon if her luck would let her) she'd become a published author.

Before either one could continue, there was a knock on the front door. Elijah excused himself from the conversation.

"Sophie, what can I do for you?"

Until she heard Sophie's name, she'd been content to wait patiently for him to rejoin her. However, her curiosity got the best of her. Shortly after Elijah's admission about Sophie, he was quick to reassure her that it had not become anything more for him. There was mention of a love interest for the witch and apparently things were somewhat serious. Elena wanted to believe him, for the Original seemed so sincere. Yet, she had eyes. She was quick to observe the way that Sophie often looked to Elijah when she thought no one was looking. Though Elena couldn't blame her for her excellent taste, she wanted to claw the witch's eyes out every time she noticed it.

Stepping towards the door that separated the room she occupied from the entry way where Elijah stood conversing with Sophie, Elena attempted to open it as quietly as she could. When neither Elijah nor Sophie turned towards her direction, she silently triumphed. From her new vantage point, she was able to see Sophie's face clearly.

"I'm sorry to just barge over, but I needed to speak to you," the witch apologized in a soft voice. "Were you busy?"

"Not particularly." He offered with a polite smile. Though he wanted nothing more than to get back to Elena, if Sophie had an issue concerning Klaus, that would take precedence. "Elena and I were catching up."

Sophie attempted to keep her face neutral, but Elena was able to discern the less than pleased expression on her face. Silently, she wondered if Elijah had as well. Though she knew that even if he had observed it, he was too much of a gentleman to call her on it. Elena felt a tiny sliver of triumph. Sophie wouldn't have reacted so had she not noticed the growing closeness between Elena and Elijah.

"You two have been spending a great deal of time together," the witch replied in a strict tone to her voice.

"Yes," Elijah agreed. "I'm afraid that time has never been on our side, and now there's nothing in the way; I'm going to take advantage of it." He watched his companion closely, noticing the way that her eyes turn down upon his use of the word 'nothing.' "Sophie?"

She shook her head. "Nothing, huh?" She asked him. "I know that things changed, but you and I were pretty good together."

Elijah silently cursed the witch, knowing that Elena would be easily able to overhear the conversation. He didn't need to deal with more jealousy. While Elena hadn't expressly made her feelings known where the witch was concerned, he knew. He could imagine how awkward she felt around Sophie, because just the thought of Elena's previous lovers left a bad taste in his mouth.

"Sophie…" He trailed off, unsure of the best thing to say. Sophie had become a very good friend to him, but that was all it was. Yes, they'd become lovers, and for a while, Elijah was content. However, he had learned that it wasn't enough. Not only did he want contentment, but he wanted passion and passionate love. He wanted his lover to eventually become his companion, and he'd realized that Sophie couldn't offer him that. Yet all that aside, he didn't want to hurt her. He thought she understood his reasoning when he ended things the first time around.

"We made each other happy during that time," she reminded him.

He nodded. "Yes, we were," he agreed in a stiff voice. "But it was more of a matter of convenience," his words were soft. "I…I was still attempting to get over Katherine and a beautiful woman came along and I grabbed onto her."

"And now that you're over her, you're going to go down the same path with a woman who shares her face?" The arched eyebrow that she wore demanded answers.

"Elena and Katherine may wear the same face, but that is where the similarities end," he denied. And yes, he'd already considered her point. It was another reason in why he waited to say anything to Elena. He wanted to make sure that his feelings for the first doppelganger were completely resolved before acting on anything he felt for Elena. "It would make things easier if you and I did make a go of it," he admitted then. He stared into her eyes then, willing her to forgive him for his next words. "But I don't want that."

Sophie smiled sadly as her eyes welled up with tears. "He proposed, you know? I…told him I needed to think about it. Elijah, I do love him, but I also love you." She stepped closer to him, then. "I know that we could be great together if you let us happen."

"And you're willing to give up your mortality for me?" He asked. "I'm not looking for a partner for the time being. I want a companion." For the past few months, whenever he would close his eyes and search out his future; there was always a brunette by his side. Yet the woman before him was not the same woman in his visions. "What we had together was special, Sophie. You were there for me when no one else was, but it's over now. You said you loved him, so marry him. Marry him and have babies with him."

Sophie nodded then. "I thought that would be what you'd say, but I just wanted to try," she confessed in a small voice.

Elijah grabbed her hand then, enclosing it between both of his. "You have become one of my closest confidants, Sophie. It is my fault that things progressed the way they have." He had been the one to seduce her in the first place. "I don't want to lose you completely over this," he said then. Though, he wouldn't have blamed her for wanting to cut all ties with him.

The witch nodded then. "I just…I need some time," she confessed then. "I have had feelings for you for so long, I don't know how to be around you and not have them."

Elijah offered her a supportive smile as he pulled his hands away from her. "I understand," and he did. He walked her to the door and offered her one more smile as she departed from the lavish mansion. He watched her walk down towards the drive where she'd parked her car before letting out a weary sigh and shutting the door. "I know that you heard all of that," he said, still turned towards the large, ornate door.

Knowing that she had no defense, Elena opened the door fully and leaned against the door frame. She waited for him to turn to face her, but he didn't move. His shoulders sagged and not for the first time since her arrival did she regret her decision to stay. Elijah had never been an open book when it came to his emotions. Other than Katherine, he'd never let his emotions get the better of him, so she was confused upon seeing his reaction to the witch. Did he regret his decision where Sophie was concerned? And if so, why had he not stopped her from leaving?

"Stop it, Elena," Elijah ordered in a soft voice then. "I know what you're thinking and those thoughts need to stop." He spun around to look at his companion. "I told you the first day that you were here that I wanted you…that I wanted to explore us," he reminded her as he stepped closer to her. He watched her stand tall upon his approach. "Why do you not believe me?"

"It's not that I don't want to," she denied. As he raised a hand to caress her cheek her eyes closed involuntarily.

Ignoring the pleasure he felt in her response to him, he spoke again. "Then what is it?"

"It just feels so surreal, you know?" She asked then, opening her eyes. For one second she felt like the seventeen year old girl that she was when she first met him. Instead of focusing on that, she spoke about something else entirely. "I can't say that I was always in love with you…but she can. When you walk down the street with her, no one bats an eyelash like they do when we take a trip down town. Up until recently, I've been a complete mess, hell, I might still be one. I know that she has become a great ally to you and your cause, I can never claim to be so."

Elijah let out a frustrated sigh and stared at her. "Do you honestly mean to convince yourself that we shouldn't attempt anything?"

She shook her head. "No?"

He arched one eyebrow and cocked his head to the side. "Was that a question?"

If it hadn't been such a serious conversation, she would have smiled in response. "No, I just…want to make sure that if things do progress that you're in it for the long haul. And…you and Sophie obviously have a lot in common and you just admitted that it would be far easier to be with her and-"

"If I wanted Sophie, I'd be with Sophie. If I wanted easy, Elena, I never would have asked you to stay," he broke in then evenly. His eyes searched her face, taking in her hopeful expression. "I know this isn't a conventional situation, but that doesn't mean I don't want it…you."

With a heartwarming smile, Elena grabbed his hand and entwined their fingers. "Good," she said then. "Because I want you too," she added after a beat. Bringing his hand up to her mouth, she placed a kiss on it. "There's something that has been on my mind for the past few weeks…"

"And that would be…?" He inquired then.

Elena looked at their joined hands before she turned to meet his intense gaze. "You owe me a new first kiss," she finished grinning at him.

"Oh, I do, do I?" He asked as a smirk kissed his lips.

She nodded. "The first time we kissed you were under the assumption that I was Katherine. The emotions that you poured into it were meant for someone else, and I want my own." Her voice held no accusation, just a simple truth.

Staring at their entwined fingers, Elijah paused over her words. How was it that Elena had not known the truth of their moment years earlier? Of course he'd known who she was! The moment he joined her in the gazebo, he'd known she wasn't Katherine. At the time, he'd played along with her; letting her believe she was able to confuse him. He had been curious to see how far she was willing to take the façade. The kiss that he'd initiated had been for Elena alone. Tucking the information away for rainy day, he decided to grant his companion her wish.

"Far be it for me to leave my lady waiting," he purred out, using their joined hands to pull her into his body. As soon as her small, ever appealing body was tight against his form, he used his free hand to lock her there. Breaking the hold he had on her hand, he caressed her cheek.

The moment his lips captured hers, Elena eagerly responded. Her hands locked around his waist and she pushed her body as close to him as she could get.

As soon as he felt her tuck in closer to his body, Elijah deepened the kiss; nearly groaning. His hand fisted in her long locks and he held her mouth against his. Using his tongue, he plied her lips apart and poured every bit of emotion into it as he could muster.

Opening her mouth, her tongue dueled with his. She never even noticed when her hands began running up and down his back until she would brush over a particular sensitive spot. In reaction to it, he would increase his ministrations on her mouth. She attempted the move a couple times to make sure it wasn't a fluke. When she realized it wasn't, she put the information away for a later date, hoping to learn all of his reactions to her ministrations.

Elijah pulled his mouth away from hers and leaned his forehead against Elena's. He smiled as she panted in effort to catch her breath. Cupping her face in his hands, Elijah pressed one more kiss on her lips.

"Can I tell you something?" Elena asked after a moment, opening her eyes to look at the Original. She waited for a response before speaking again. "I like the way you kiss me."

The male vampire smirked and tilted closer to her, making a show of inhaling her delectable scent. "I know…" he let his words trail off, not bothering to hide the meaning behind them. He studied her reaction to his words. While he noticed her cheeks turn rosy, she refused to look away from him and he was once against reminded of the fact that the young woman before him was no longer a girl. "I am going to enjoy getting to know your body." His lips traveled to her ear and he began nibbling on it. "I can't wait to feel your body tremble against mine."

As soon as he spoke, naughty scenarios began to play through her thoughts. She hadn't been with anyone since Damon and her body longed to be touched, teased and thoroughly worked over. His words and the thoughts that they inspired were enough to wreak havoc on her body. Not only had she experienced flutters in her stomach but her nether regions seemed to come alive as well. She had to admit that she couldn't wait to tremble against his body either.

And Then They Boinked

Since their first kiss days earlier, the Original had discovered the delight in Elena's skilled lips and tongue. She had certainly mastered the art of teasing him. He'd had lovers in the past, but he couldn't remember ever enjoying the art of kissing so much. For him, it had been about finding the ultimate pleasure and getting his partner there as well.

Leaning against the island in the spacious kitchen, he marveled at the situation he found himself in. Soft music played in the back ground and Elena stood cutting up vegetables, swaying to the jazz that flittered from the speakers placed through the house. He crossed his arms, having removed his dress jacket and tie, watching his companion. It was a far cry from what he'd expected her first night there.

At the time, neither bothered to hide their desire for casual sex, yet it hadn't yet come to fruition. Instead, there had been exchange of words and his invitation for her to stay in town slipped past his lips before he could help himself. Not to say he did not desire her for more, only he didn't think Elena would be interested in anything long standing between them. He had no interest in joining her list of suitors, sure that she was still caught in the web that the Salvatore brothers managed to weave around her.

Since the first night of their quiet reunion, so many truths had passed between them; both physical and emotional. He bore his soul to her, and in return, she did the same. In the few days since their kiss, there had been many stolen moments that followed. There had been long, languid kisses, fevered make out sessions and even heavy petting. The latter two managed to make him feel as though he was the young man he once was. Both enjoyed their moments together, neither bothering to hide their bodily reactions from the other; yet it never went further than that.

Elena had grown comfortable in her own body, enjoying the reactions she could induce from him. She spent many of their kissing sessions, teasing him with her body as well. If it had been anyone else, he would not have caved so easily to the intentions; but he rather enjoyed seeing the progress that she made. The time that she spent at the manor had increased, only returning to her hotel in the late hours of the night. He was slowly coming to realize that the feelings he had for the young vampire were much stronger than he initially thought.

"You know that we could just order in…" he said after a long perusal of her appealing body.

Not bothering to turn around, Elena nodded. "Yes, but since my arrival we have either ordered in or gone out. I want to do this for you."

He raised no objections to that. In fact, he felt a tug at his heart. He couldn't remember the last time that a woman cooked him dinner simply for the sake of doing so. In the dinners that he shared with Klaus and Rebekah (which were few and far between) they were always prepared by the cook or ordered in from the top restaurants in town.

"I didn't realize that you enjoyed cooking," he said then.

Elena shrugged. "I didn't either," she admitted as she leaned over to read the recipe she was using. When she found what she was looking for, she returned to her preparation. "When I was growing up, my father made enough money so my mother didn't have to work," she began. "She always made her meals from scratch, and when I was a child, I would sit at the counter and watch her. I used to get so excited when I could add in the ingredients that she'd already premeasured." Elena shook her head, as if to clear the fog that settled over her thoughts. In that brief moment, she was a little girl again.

"Did you not help her when you were older?" He asked, honestly curious.

Elena paused in her movements and turned back to offer him a sad smile. It was only for a quick moment before she turned back to her task, hoping that her voice was as cool as it had been when she began sharing her story. "Not so much. I…when I was in middle school I would, but once I turned fourteen, I was too cool to help. I was more concerned with Matt and being popular." Looking back, it one of the things she regretted most about that time. If only she had known how limited her time with her parents was, she would have changed everything.

It wasn't difficult for him to discern the regret in her voice. Silently, he stepped up behind her; locking his arms around her waist. When her actions stilled, he pulled her against his body, resting his head on the crook of her neck. He placed a kiss on the shell of her ear as she gave in to his actions and rested against him.

Placing the knife down, Elena rested her hands on his forearms and turned her head into his. In that one moment, everything was perfect. It was as though they were the only two that existed in the world. The emotion left her breathless and she realized that she wanted more of it.

"Your parents would be proud of the woman you've become."

"I hope so," she said quietly. Feeling guilty for ruining their time, she pushed the unpleasant thoughts from her mind and turned in his embrace and kissed him.

Setting his hands on her waist, Elijah returned the kiss with fervor. When the kiss deepened, he pushed the items that rested on the counter away; most of it spilling on the kitchen floor. When he saw that Elena pulled her mouth away ready to lecture him for his actions, he quickly captured her lips again. Not pausing in his movements, he lifted her up, setting her on the counter before stepping between her legs.

When he kissed a path to her neck, Elena tilted her head to give him better access. "Don't think that I'm forgiving you for ruining dinner," she panted into the room as she settled one hand at the back of his head to hold him to her neck.

He began nibbling at the skin under his lips, finding delight in her soft mewls of pleasure. "Then please, allow me the chance to make it up to you."

When he captured her mouth again, Elena eagerly returned the kisses. Her hands moved to his shirt, gracelessly untucking it before she began unbuttoning it. Once his chest was exposed, her hands eagerly traveled an undetermined path against his bare skin. It was the first time that she'd had the pleasure of touching his chest without a barrier of clothing and she enjoyed the sensation under her hands.

His mouth continued to dominate hers, but he was keenly aware of her hands. Things were slowly spiraling out of control and he knew that if he didn't put a stop to it, he'd take her right there in the kitchen. Not that he would have minded claiming her body where they were, but he thought that a bed better suited their first time together. As her hands settled on the fastening of his pants and she pulled at the button, his hands settled over hers to stop her movements.

"What?" Elena asked, wrenching her mouth away from his. "Why are you stopping?"

"Because if I didn't stop now, I'd end up taking you right here…on the counter," he answered then in a matter of fact tone. "And you deserve better than that."

"And what if I wanted you to take me here on the counter?" Elena inquired breathlessly. Her body was already humming and she was ready to submit to him.

Her question caught him off guard and he was stuck between shock and extreme arousal. His body was eager for her, and it had been since their very first heated make-out session. He wanted her. He wanted to claim her and possess her in every way she would let him. "Elena…" Didn't she understand that his control was barely hanging on by a thread?

Elena kissed him again. "I want you…here…now." She knew that it wouldn't take much time for him to take her to his bedroom, but she didn't want that. There'd be time for beds and romance later. Elena kissed his neck and bit down on the skin.

Her bite was harder than one that could be construed as playful. It wasn't aggressive by any means, but it was more primal than he had been prepared for. Biting and blood sharing was no longer a coveted thing among vampires when sharing intimacy with another; yet Elijah never lost the importance of it. It was something he had yet to share in his existence. He'd shared couplings with many, but the urge to bite and share his blood never rose in him…until that moment. He held a passing wonderment, curious to know if Elena sensed the significance of her actions. However as she bit down on his neck once again, the passing thought was lost in a sea of arousal and pleasure.

Instinct was in full control in that moment. On a subconscious level, she was aware that her actions were primal, yet she had no idea why. Elena had never felt the need to bite during sex, but there was an overall rightness about it in that moment. She was also aware of the fact that while Elijah bore his neck to her, he had yet to move any art of his body. Gaining more control of her faculties, Elena dislodged her teeth, licking at the wound she left behind.

"Why do you stop?" Elijah asked, curious about her behavior.

She shook her head. "I don't know," she admitted then. She knew there was importance in her actions; she just didn't know what it meant, though she suspected that his response to her actions was significant as well. "Why did you let me bite you?"

Elijah stared at the woman before him. Instead of replying with a verbal response, he brought a hand to her dress. With deliberate actions, he pushed the thin straps of her dress down her shoulders. His eyes never faulted from hers as he pulled out her breasts and tweaked her nipples. Her eyes closed as she threw her head back and moaned into the room. Her response urged him to repeat his actions with a stronger touch. Her cries increased and her head shot forward, her mouth eager to meet his.

Elijah thrust his tongue in her mouth, entwining with hers.

As the pair continued to duel for dominance, Elena's hands went back to his waist and she unfastened the button before pushing down the zipper. The sound of it seemed to echo in the room and it was enough to break the kiss. She met his gaze, determined to have her way. As his pants hung off his hips, she moved to his underwear and pushed them down far enough to free his cock.

When her hand closed around his member, Elijah groaned. His hands fastened around her hips and he pulled her towards the end of the surface. He offered her another breathless kiss before resting his head at the crook of her neck.

Keeping a hold on his impressive length, she guided him to her wet opening. She felt the grip on her hips tighten as he pushed further into her.

It was an agonizing slow pace for him. As soon as he began to slip into her wet folds, he'd wanted nothing more than to surge forward and bury himself to the hilt; but he also wanted to savor the moment of being inside her. Instead, he kept his head down and began kissing and nipping her skin. When he was in as far as he could go, Elijah groaned against her body. He felt her respond by holding onto his back almost as though she was anchoring herself to him.

"Oh…" Elena trailed off with a sigh. It had been far too long since she'd been so connected to another being. Once they were completely connected, both paused; enjoying the moment of being totally joined. She squeezed her walls around his member, not bothering to deny the delight she felt when he groaned against her.

Having waited enough, Elijah began to move again. He pulled out slightly before thrusting back into her.

"You feel so good in me," the younger vampire groaned into the room. She was rewarded as he pulled out again so only the tip of his member remained within her before he surged back in. She cried out again in pleasure.

The Original pulled his head up and looked at her. Her eyes had darkened and her cheeks flushed from her arousal; and he found that he'd never seen her look so beautiful. He relished in the fact that she reacted such a way because of him. He continued to thrust in and out of her, the sound of their coupling combined with their simultaneous cries of pleasure.

"That's it, Elena…" he coaxed in a husky tone. "I do like the way you respond to me." He thrust into her again with more effort. He was rewarded with a scream of pleasure from her.

"Oh, God!"

He pulled out of her before repeated his thrust, again with more force behind it than before. "You're so wet for me…so responsive," he grunted. Throwing his head back, he continued to plow into her waiting heat. Her cries grew louder and he knew that she was close.

"Elijah! I…I'm gonna…I can't wait."

"Let go, Elena," he coaxed her then, speeding up his thrusts. He felt her walls pulsate around him. Her cries grew louder and her body shuddered against his.

She followed his instruction. She felt her orgasm wash over her and her walls clamped around his penis. The pace of his thrusts increased and the sensation only amplified her pleasure.

"That's it!" She threw her head back and screamed.

Her body coaxed him to follow her into oblivion, and he didn't resist. Between the feel of her silky walls milking him and her cries of pleasure, Elijah was only seconds behind her. He tightened his hold on her hips and pulled her even closer to him as he continued to drive into her.

His orgasm gripped him and he grunted as he emptied himself inside Elena. Leaning against her body, he captured her mouth again.

"We are definitely doing that again," Elena murmured in between kisses.

"Thank you for sharing yourself with me, Elena," he said, framing her face in his hand. "And yes, we are most certainly repeating this. I think I may enforce an everyday rule." He smiled at her, and kissed her one more time before he pulled the straps of her dress back up. Pulling out of his partner, he fastened his pants.

* * *

Leaning over his form, Elena twisted her head so that her hair fell to one side as she claimed Elijah's mouth. She continued to ride him, her mouth swallowing his moans.

Moving his legs, he used his feet to support himself as he began thrusting into her waiting heat.

"Ughhh…" She tore her mouth away from his and threw her head back when he hit a particularly sensitive spot inside her. She pushed her body down, attempting to take his member as deep as she could.

Sensing what she wanted, Elijah gripped her hips and pulled her down as he drilled up into her. She moaned again and kissed him, her tongue plunging into his mouth. He eagerly responded, letting her plunder his mouth.

They'd progressively made their way towards the bedrooms on the second floor. After cleaning up the dinner that Elena had attempted to prepare earlier, they'd ordered in. After a late dinner, he'd claimed her on the couch before taking her to bed. He was growing accustomed to her body and her reactions to him. He was able to read her body and knew when she was getting close to her orgasm. He'd already used the knowledge to his advantage either by teasing her and prolonging it or letting her experience it. Already, she'd cum twice and had fallen apart in his arms. Each time, he'd forced himself not to follow behind, but it had been difficult. He knew that this would be it. When she experienced her next orgasm, so would he.

Her movements became frantic and she began shuddering against his body as he continued to drive up into her. She cried into his mouth as her walls clenched around his penis, drawing his orgasm as well.

Elijah held her body down against him and pumped into her three more times as he followed her over the edge, their mouths never separating from the other. The urgency of their kiss died down and they began trading deep kisses full of emotion rather than arousal.

Pulling away from him, the young woman sat up and took a deep breath. "I don't think I'll ever get enough of you," she told him with a smile as she dismounted him and snuggled against his side.

His arms moved to accommodate her, holding her securely against his form. "I am glad to hear that." And he was! He turned his head to study his partner and considered their relationship.

He certainly never imagined them in that position, at least not in the beginning. Upon meeting her, she'd been so young and innocent. She'd already managed to captivate two brothers, and he was so sure he'd never fall for another Petrova again. Yet, their truce grew into grudging respect and then a stilted friendship. Through the years, he'd begun to notice things about her that perhaps he shouldn't have; but he knew that nothing would ever come from it. It had been simple enough to create an invisible barrier between them and remain separate from her. She hadn't been ready for him any more than he had been prepared for her.

Elena met his gaze, noticing that his eyes had glazed over a bit. It was obvious that his mind was in another place, and she didn't know if it was a good thing or a bad thing. Since their heart to heart the other day, she hadn't felt any lingering sense of doubt, but in that moment, she did. She wondered what was so entrancing. Was he comparing her to his previous partners, doppelgangers or not? Had she not been enough? There were thousands of years between them; he'd had all that time to perfect his technique. As for her, she'd never had complaints with the few partners she'd had; but it had been so long since she'd been with anyone. Her body had been primed and ready to go.

"That is a serious look," Elena hedged in an even tone. "What are you thinking about?"

Clearing his thoughts, Elijah smiled down at his lover. "I'm just musing over our relationship." He kissed her temple then. "When I first met you in that abandoned house, I never envisioned that we'd end up like this together."

Elena turned into his body and laced her hand with his, resting it over his stomach. "And you don't regret that?" Her tone was hesitant and curious.

He squeezed her hand before bringing it to his mouth and kissing it. "Not at all." He couldn't even regret the paths that they'd been on to get to that moment in time. They hadn't been ready to be together, but there was nothing in the way any longer.

"I'm sorry that I…I mean I orgasmed so easily," she tripped over the apology. "It's been a while since I was with anyone, and I know that you've had so many partners." She scrunched her face at the topic she mentioned. "Not that…I mean," she let out a frustrated sigh.

Detecting her annoyance upon being unable to express herself, Elijah turned into her body and placed his lips over hers in attempt to silence her. "I have no apologies about that. In fact, I hope that your body always reacts to mine like that."

She met his gaze unflinchingly. "Always?"

"I told you upon our reunion that I wouldn't be declaring my undying love for you then," he mentioned then. "I am not so reckless to admit such a thing now; however, I am in utter danger of losing my heart to you if we continue down this path."

She nodded her head once in reply. "I'm glad I'm not the only one," she admitted in a husky tone. She'd been in love before, to deny it would be pointless. Yet, she could admit the fact that it had never been like this before. "I think I may have to find a permanent residence in New Orleans." Paying for a hotel room was beginning to take a toll on her account.

He smiled brightly at her. "I think I have the perfect solution for you." He placed a kiss on the tip of her nose. "How do you feel about cohabitation?"

"You mean move in with you?" Elena asked softly. She supposed it would make sense. She did spend a majority of her time at his home, only returning to the hotel to sleep and shower.

"Well, Rebekah and Klaus would be here from time to time," he replied with a half smirk.

Once upon a time, Elena let her heart make decisions for her. Somewhere along the way, she lost that part of herself. However, as she peered at her lover in that moment, nothing felt so right as to turn to her heart for answer.

"I don't know…" she made an effort to frown. "I've noticed that you like to sleep on the right side, but that's my side."

Catching on to the fact that she was teasing him, he rolled them over so she was on her back as he hovered over her. "I'm afraid, lovely, that on this issue; age comes before beauty."

Elena spread her legs to accommodate him. "How about we make a deal?"

He leaned down and kissed her. "You have my attention, Elena."

She nodded before shifting her hips against his member, making her intentions known. "How about, the one who can hold out the longest wins the right side of the bed?"

He arched an eyebrow in response and smirked down at her. Based on her reactions to him in the course of the previous night, he was a sure winner. "I accept your challenge," he eagerly agreed as captured her mouth and thrust into her.

The End


End file.
